Question

How do fossil fuels cause air pollution?

Answer 1

Hint: On burning, fossil fuels emit a mixture of oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur in air. These emissions are attributable to poor air quality and smog.

Complete answer:
To answer this question, first, we need to know about air pollution and the uses of fossil fuels. The presence of materials in the air in such a concentration, which is harmful to humans and the environment is said to be air pollution. In other words 'the addition of foreign particles, gases and other pollutants into the air, which have an adverse effect on human beings, vegetation, animals, buildings and other objects. A fossil fuel is a fuel produced by natural processes that involve organic molecules, like anaerobic decomposition of buried organisms. They are made of plants and animals which decompose. Such fuels are present in the crust of the Earth and contain hydrogen and carbon that can be burned for energy. Examples of fossil fuels are oil, natural gas, and coal.

Now let us find the solution-
Burning of fuels in industries, residential establishments, hotels, bakeries, thermal plants etc contribute most of the gaseous and particulate pollutants in the air. Coal is largely made of carbon mixed with some incombustible minerals, nitrogen, and sulphur. Petroleum consists of mainly sulphur, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen. Therefore, when fossil fuels are burnt they produce a mixture of oxides of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur and water vapour. Burning of coal also produces mineral ash, some of which is discharged as fly ash. Therefore, these cause fossil fuels to cause pollution.

Note: The primary pollutants that are produced from the burning of fossil fuels are carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, nitric oxide, and various hydrocarbons. The toxic substances released from fossil fuel burning are carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide, carbon dioxide and various hydrocarbons.